Detroit Tigers designate Jose Valverde for assignment but aren't giving up on him

9:49 PM,
Jun. 21, 2013

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Jose Valverde is gone, at least for now. The Tigers have designated him for assignment in the hopes he'll go to Triple-A Toledo and regain his form as the ninth-inning closer.

But what if Valverde refuses to go to the minors, or doesn't pitch well enough there to return to the Tigers? Suppose he never returns to the Tigers? Is general manager Dave Dombrowski comfortable with the club's current bullpen, or would the lack of Valverde prompt him to make a trade for a reliever by the July 31 trading deadline?